Backup generator 101, a few questions

[MF RED in MT]

Sorry, but at 83 and you don’t want her to have to do anything equals whole house. Just get a 7kw autostart with 8 circuit transfer switch. You mount transfer switch next to panel and move over 8 circuits to be powered up. GENERAC sells these for about $1,900 plus install. Doesn’t come any easier

That looks like a great system, did not know Generac had such a thing.

KC

 

[groundcover]

Absolutely get the LP auto start. Chances are mother isn’t getting any younger. Another cautionary tale after our ice event this weekend. Carbon monoxide exposure in New Hampshire: 1 dead, officials say

 

[buickanddeere]

Not saving anything purchasing an auto start system that does not supply the entire electrical panel .

 

[grsthegreat]

Not saving anything purchasing an auto start system that does not supply the entire electrical panel .

not so, i have many customers that dont want entire house on generator. they only want gas furnace, refer, freezers, some lights and microwave. they have no issues with it.

 

[dougtrr2]

I was looking into back up generators. My wife thinks we need one, I don't. I was looking at the Generac stuff. As I was talking to the guy at the home show he said that in today's world a whole house system is a much better selling point for a home. People tend to be lazy and don't want to have to be without their air conditioning. The price difference was not that much more to go to a fully automatic whole house system. Once you go past just powering a furnace, freezer and fridge you might just as well go the whole way.

Doug in SW IA

 

[grsthegreat]

I was looking into back up generators. My wife thinks we need one, I don't. I was looking at the Generac stuff. As I was talking to the guy at the home show he said that in today's world a whole house system is a much better selling point for a home. People tend to be lazy and don't want to have to be without their air conditioning. The price difference was not that much more to go to a fully automatic whole house system. Once you go past just powering a furnace, freezer and fridge you might just as well go the whole way.

Doug in SW IA

Yes and no. if a house has all electric heat and electric water heater, its hard to find an affordable whole house system to install that can power the entire thing. If on the other hand the house is all gas, than thats another matter all together. I have customers that have 80 amps of electric heat. the largest air cooled unit provides 94 amps at full load. Not going to work. But the same house can use an 11kw and a 16 circuit panel and be comfortable during outage as long as theres a supplemental source of heat.

 

[buickanddeere]

not so, i have many customers that dont want entire house on generator. they only want gas furnace, refer, freezers, some lights and microwave. they have no issues with it.

Some people think they are "saving" by making do with less. Down the road it makes the system less valuable . I have seen these auxiliary breaker panels for "essential loads" end up costing more for installation with time and labour . Vs if the entire panel had been supplied by a transfer switch. If they have went cheap and undersized the generator . Tell them to open the breakers to the electric stove, electric water heater and electric clothes dryer . They will feel better .

 

[buickanddeere]

I was looking into back up generators. My wife thinks we need one, I don't. I was looking at the Generac stuff. As I was talking to the guy at the home show he said that in today's world a whole house system is a much better selling point for a home. People tend to be lazy and don't want to have to be without their air conditioning. The price difference was not that much more to go to a fully automatic whole house system. Once you go past just powering a furnace, freezer and fridge you might just as well go the whole way.

Doug in SW IA

Amen Brother

 

[grsthegreat]

Some people think they are "saving" by making do with less. Down the road it makes the system less valuable . I have seen these auxiliary breaker panels for "essential loads" end up costing more for installation with time and labour . Vs if the entire panel had been supplied by a transfer switch. If they have went cheap and undersized the generator . Tell them to open the breakers to the electric stove, electric water heater and electric clothes dryer . They will feel better .

Sorry, but according to code, a whole house automatic backup system HAS TO POWER THE WHOLE HOUSE without interference from homeowner.
That’s what the auto load shed modules try to help with. You cannot get a system passed that requires homeowner to turn off a breaker. Only portable systems allow that feature.

 

[RalphVa]

For electric start, you need to have the battery on a battery tender. Even with the 4400 watt unit, I had a battery tender on it. Had to go out and do the starts by hand; whereas, the Isuzu generator and the Gentron panel are totally automatic. It'll run for 2 weeks, too.

Ralph